Offered at Dakota and Samborski. A prepared classroom for children as young as one year, with sensory and practical-life work, stories, music every day, snacks, a hot lunch, and time to rest.
The earliest years are a special time of discovery, growth, and connection. Our Infant Montessori Program welcomes children as young as one year into a warm, nurturing, prepared classroom, where they can feel secure while developing independence, confidence, and a love of learning.
Leaving your little one in someone else's care is a big step. The aim is a home away from home: patient, respectful care, and a place that feels genuinely warm.
Montessori begins by respecting the child as capable and curious. The room is arranged with age-appropriate materials so children can move, touch, investigate, and discover at their own pace. Educators build a relationship with each child and follow that child's interests and stage of development.
Even the youngest children can do meaningful things for themselves. Simple daily routines build coordination, confidence, and independence. Caring for young children means caring for the whole child: physical, emotional, social, and developmental needs.
Music, French, yoga, the gym, and food are part of the day, not an add-on.
Music and movement introduce children to the language of music in a collaborative setting. Singing, storytelling, dancing, and instruments support musical development, and also social interaction, impulse control, spatial awareness, and focused listening.
A visiting teacher introduces Canada's second official language, starting with numbers and colours and moving on to animals and foods. Lessons use Montessori language and math materials, with songs and dancing.
Yoga is introduced with music, games, stories, and simple poses, in a light-hearted way. Play and personal discovery help children find the poses for themselves, in a setting meant to build on their strengths and confidence.
Full-day and half-day children use the gym as part of the Enhanced Montessori Program.
A balanced snack is served at school. It is planned so it is safe for the children attending, and the month's snack menu is posted on the bulletin board.
A daily hot lunch gives children a freshly prepared meal at school. Mealtimes are also a chance to practise healthy eating habits and independence at the table.
The summer program runs through July and for three weeks in August. It is different from the school-year program. Every two weeks there is a new theme, and the class spends as much time as possible outside, playing, exploring, and discovering. The classroom is set up to match the theme, with art and craft work planned for those weeks.
The prepared environment stays in place, and so do independence, grace, and courtesy. Most of the activities themselves change. Children still have individual and group experiences suited to their age.
A visit is the clearest way to understand the day.
